William George Stretton was born on 1 February 1847.  It is believed that he was present in Australia by 1865, apparently serving in the South Australian Mounted Police from 1865 to by 1869.  After apparently acting as Chief Storekeeper during the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line during 1871 and 1872, he returned to the Mounted Police in 1872.  His activities prior to 1879 are conjectural and are subject to further research

On 6 March 1879 Stretton joined the South Australian State Public Service.  By 1 August 1888 he was serving as the Customs Officer, Harbourmaster and Postmaster at Borroloola in the Northern Territory. On 13 November 1894 he exchanged positions with Charles William Nash and became Chief Warden of the Northern Territory Gold Fields.  From 1 June 1896 he was Health Officer at Port Darwin and the Darwin Harbourmaster and Superintendent of Mercantile Marine.

In 1901, following Federation, Stretton became Sub-Collector of Customs, Darwin (CA 820) and Inspector of Distilleries at Port Darwin, responsible to the Commonwealth Department of Trade and Customs (CA 10).  At the same time Stretton was apparently employed by the South Australian government as Health Officer at Port Darwin, retaining his positions as Harbourmaster, Superintendent of Mercantile Marine and Registrar of Shipping.  In February 1902 he was gazetted as the Authorising Officer and Receiver of Public Moneys in the Northern Territory for the Department of Trade and Customs. Stretton was appointed as a member of the Revision Court at Palmerston on 29 May 1905.  He was due to retire on 1 February 1912 but his term of service was extended to 28 February 1913.  This extension seems to have been spent on furlough.

Stretton married Alice Anna Arthur by 1890 and had 2 sons and 5 daughters.  Their son, Alfred Victor Stretton (CP 21), was Superintendent of Police in the Northern Territory.
 

Agency associated with person unregistered

?         1865-by     1869: ? South Australian Mounted Police -
                            Member
?         1871-?      1872: Overland Telegraph Line - Chief Store
                            Keeper
?         1872-?          : South Australian Mounted Police - Member
by 06 Mar 1879-01 Aug 1888: South Australian State Public Service -
                            Member
   01 Aug 1888-13 Nov 1894: SA State Public Service, Borroloola, NT -
                            Customs Officer, Harbour Master and
                            Postmaster
   13 Nov 1894-01 Jun 1896: SA State Public Service - Chief Warden of
                            Gold Fields, Northern Territory
   01 Jun 1896-28 Feb 1913: SA State Public Service, Port Darwin -
                            Health Officer
   01 Jun 1896-28 Feb 1913: SA State Public Service, Port Darwin -
                            Harbourmaster and Superintendent of
                            Mercantile Marine
          1901-28 Feb 1913: Department of Trade and Customs -
                            Inspector of Distilleries, Darwin
by        1901-       1913: SA State Public Service - Registrar of
                            Shipping, Darwin